APC congress: Thugs vandalise High Court in Rivers

Suspected thugs broke into the High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state on Friday, chasing away lawyers, judges and litigants.

Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers south-east, had gone to seek a court order restraining the faction under Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from holding the local government (LGA) congress of the party on Saturday.

The motion followed a controversial ward congress held on May 5. Abe had alleged that there was no congress across the 319 wards in the state but Amaechi said the exercise held peacefully.

While appearing in court, Abe was resisted by suspected thugs, who reportedly fired gunshots randomly to deny him access to the courthouse.

The intruders vandalised vehicles in the court premises and locked up the main gate of the court before leaving.

After the tension had been doused by the police, Chiwendu Nwaogu, the presiding judge, sat to grant the order restraining the APC in the state from holding the LGA congress.